Government must not let lives hang in the budget balance

Following today’s damning Coroner’s findings, Dignity Party MP Kelly Vincent is calling on Premier Jay Weatherill and potential Premier Steven Marshall to commit to quicker action on implementing mental health support for people living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

“We are losing young people to this condition and it’s important that action be taken urgently – not at a snail’s pace,” says Kelly Vincent.

“Six years after I started campaigning on this issue, Dignity Party finally managed to gain a commitment from the Labor Government on funding a BPD service in South Australia. Something clearly as vital to saving young lives shouldn’t rely on the persistent action of a cross-bench MP to get action clinicians agree is long overdue.”

“It is estimated that 10% of people with a BPD diagnosis will die by suicide. But with proper treatment, like that which the funding the Dignity Party secured will provide, we can change that. But it can’t wait.”

“It’s a tragedy that many South Australians have already lost their lives to this illness, and we need to see a BPD service open its doors now. We should already have seen positions advertised for appropriately qualified staff by now.”

“I pass on my deepest sympathy to the families directly involved, and to those in the BPD community who I know will be rocked by the findings.

“This also comes after a mental health patient died by suicide at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital days ago. The Government and Health Minister must urgently improve the second-rate duress alarm system at this $2.3 billion facility because the list of failings to date are just not acceptable,” said Ms Vincent.

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